The Delta independent., 1887-01-11

reversed his engine; but IL did no good. ant
the next instant the crash came. The erfect
of the collision can be better imagited than
described. The engines of the two train:
reared into the air like pair of enraged
| living monsters, and then settled down up
on the track, driven into each other until
their cylinders touched. The force Of the
impact jammed the baggage cars into the
tender of the fast train, the express car into
the baggage car, and the smoker into the ex.
press car.
In less than five minutes from the
moment of the collision, and before any or
ganized effort at rescue could be made,
the fire from the overturned stoves comml-
nicated to the woodwork and the flames
leaped high in the air, their roar mingling
with the cries of anguish of the imprisoned
victims, to whom death in its most terrible
form was horrid presence. The train
men and uninjured passengers were power.
less and they could do nothing to rescue the
sufferers. -
C.. p. Bradley, of Washington, d. c., was
found hanging from window of the
smoker, but his legs were fast and he could
not be moved. There he remained until he
was burned to death, and his charred re.
mains fell to the ground black and shape
less mass. He was conscious, and gave
his address to the bystanders, and also said
that he was an officer of the Knights of La.
Dor organization. He gave his watch and
other valhables that he could get from his
pockets, to Conductor Fletcher of the
| freight train.
Joseph Postelthwaite, aged 81 years, and
his sons, Spencer, aged Is, and Henry,
aged IL, were sitting in the same seat in
the smoker, and their charred remains were
found in the ruins of the cars.
NJ. Ii. Parks, whose address could not be
learned. was also wedged in the wreck and
burned to death, after handing his money,
letters and cards to one of the railroad EN-.
ployes. His body was also consumed as wer
those of several others, whose names are moi
known and perhaps never will be.
When the reporter reached the scene OF
the holocaust at l o'clock to-day, the ruins
| of the baggage car, express car and smoker
and the coach were still burning and scores
of hands were endeavoring 70 clear the
| track. Here and there could be seen sheets
of blood and pieces of half burned and
frozen human flesh, and the workmen
were still finding portions of bodies in the
burning wreck. The mail, express and bag
gage were burned, including large sums Of
money.
The scene at tChamberlain's establishment
was one calculated to make the stoutest
hearts quail. Nine shapeless trunks of hui
man beings were stretched out in row, like
so many charred logs. There were Mr.. Pos
telthwaite and his two sons, side by side,
| and seven others, none of whom could be
recognized, and near them was mass OF
flesh and bones that may have been parts OF
the bodies of dozen different people.
The Commercial Gazette's Tiffin, Ohio
special reports diversity of opinion re
garding the real cause of the accident Al
reports agree that there was carelessness
on the part of the railroad employees. bu,
whether the blame should attach to the
| freight or passenger crew, is a matter Of
conjecture. A thorough Investigation will
be made. The Coroner has taken charge OF
the dead. The Commercially s correspondent
gives seven as the number who were killed
and says that out of fifteen passengers in
| the smoker. but one escaped.